Seed Of Courage
by Jedidragoon
Summary: War is on the horizon for Hyrule and trouble fills the air. One of Link's twin sons is being raised by the enemy. Another is helplessly stuck in a strange land. Can Link find them and bring them to help him rescue Hyrule before evil strikes?


_I feel that I must apologize for deleting the previous story with this title_._ I was having a hard time writing it and did not like how it began. This story basically has the same characters with only a few changes. I'm sorry_

CHAPTER ONE

Trouble hung over the land of Hyrule as a dark storm cloud does when it's building strength. The young man who was worried about the land of Hyrule was helpless to even come to it's aid. Kestrel was stuck in a land that was as alike to Hyrule as a Deku nut was like a walnut. His dark dreams brought him even more to worry about each night and left him feeling unrested and troubled.

Today his frustration had reached a pinnacle and his desire to do something had led him outdoors to practice with his sword. He had grown used to the people on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University staring at his endless drills preformed on the Jay walk. The Jay Walk was simply a wide sidewalk and the section where he practiced was close to Beeghly library. His back pack was tossed aside like a useless rag on one of the tables while he practiced. A small crowd always gathered to watch as his body moved through the drills with the precision of a machine. Kestrel was almost unaware of the crowd that loved to see his practices. His mind was usually focused on the troubles of either his homeland or his own troubles in this land known as Ohio.

The only friend that he had on the campus was seated at the picnic table where he'd tossed his back pack. David, like Kestrel, wore his blond hair long, but was pulled back into a pony tail. Kestrel could see the worried look on his friend's face as his movements today were even more aggressive. David's green eyes were filled with concern as they tracked his every movement. His friend wore a red flannel shirt like a jacket over a white t-shirt and ragged blue jeans against the chill of the autumn air.

Kestrel's swordsmanship had always reflected his mood better than any mirror could. His blade slashed through the air as if it were made of heavy wood and his movements, though smooth were fierce. He could feel himself scowling as his body moved through the drill that it had memorized long ago.

David at last could no longer hold his tongue. "Kestrel, There's an old saying about not being able to fight the wind."

Kestrel hacked through the air with a heavy blow. "In Ohio, We always have to fight the wind."

"I'm not being literal. Are you trying to wear yourself out or what?"

Kestrel spun around in a spin attack he'd learned from his father and raised his sword in a block so he could face David. "If it'll give me a night's rest without bleak dreams, Then, Yes!"

David crossed his arms as he watched Kestrel do a back flip. "You do know you dream more than most people, don't you?"

Kestrel was just beginning to breathe hard from exertion. His usual practice was to stop then, but today the desire to use all his energy held sway. _If only it were put to some good other than these stupid drills! If only he could use this sword to fight Hyrule's enemies!_

"And no one believes that they are more than just dream, Dave!" He lunged forward and then quickly back in a parry. "They are the only tie to my homeland!"

David suddenly made a slashing motion across his throat and Kestrel felt his stomach work it's way down to his feet. Just behind him he heard the crowd begin to move and a familiar voice could be heard telling people to get out of the way. The voice grated on his already frayed nerves and had the same affect as sharp fingernails being drug across a chalk board. _Tony._

With a quick motion he sheathed his sword as his feet carried him over to the picnic table with an urgent swiftness. David was already on his feet and holding out Kestrel's back pack. As he reached to take it, A mighty kick struck him from behind and sent him stumbling into the picnic table. His blood was already heated up from the frustration he felt and began to reach a simmering point. If his adoptive brother wasn't careful, Kestrel knew his temper would boil over. Then again, Tony was never careful of Kestrel's moods.

As he turned to face Tony, He saw David's eyes widen and whirled about to catch the large fist that was headed for his ear. Tony's brown eyes widened for a moment, but the ugly sneer never left his face. The autumn breeze ruffled his adoptive brother's brown hair that was cut like a army soldier. His loud red shirt seemed to proclaim to the world that they should look at him. If not for how his sour disposition twisted his face, His good looks would have gotten him any girl on campus. Kestrel wished he didn't have to look up into those hate filled eyes, but if he turned his back on this creature...

Tony's sneer turned into a scowl. "Did I hear you talking about your make believe world again, Bird Boy?"

Kestrel gritted his teeth together as he felt his temper begin to bubble up more rapidly. "It's no more make believe than the world your mother told you about."

He saw the second fist coming at him and snatched it with the ease of long practice.

"Blake, Remember what happened the last time you started talking about that nonsense you call Hyrule? Do you want to go back for another visit?"

Kestrel's nostrils flared at the memory of the short time they had sent him to an insane asylum. His eyes narrowed at Tony and his grip tightened on his fists. "First, Hyrule is not nonsense. Second, My name is Kestrel. And Third, They can't send me there now, I'm over eighteen."

Tony threw back his head in laughter and Kestrel just managed to push him away before he got kneed in the crouch. "If your in school, they can still claim you, Blake."

Kestrel's hands balled up into tight fists that were prepared to attack. "Don't call me Blake!"

"That's the name that Mom and Dad gave you, Charity case," Tony's eyes narrowed at Kestrel. "So that's the name your stuck with!"

Kestrel knew it was stupid but he couldn't face the idiot any longer and whirled around to snatch up his back pack. His long sensitive ears heard the fabric of Tony's shirt rustle and without looking he raised his arm to easily block the incoming blow. He glanced over at David. "Third floor of the library."

No matter what Tony did to him, He couldn't bring himself to harm him just because he was a fool. When Tony began to get to him too much, He would flee rather than injure him and then have to deal with what his adoptive parents would do to him. Tony was their poor sweet baby and the words of praise that they heaped on Tony made Kestrel want to gag.

He saw David take off and glanced back at Tony with a slight grin. "Follow if you want, but there not much you can do to me in the library."

"Go ahead! I'll get past you friends on the staff! Just watch me!"

Kestrel just shrugged and turned to take off after David toward the Library. Sometimes he wondered what it would feel like to just give in and punch Tony in the face. Then at other times, He wondered if his father Link would have given into the temptation. He felt that he wouldn't and that if Kestrel allowed himself the pleasure, it would disappoint his father.

As he was turning, He caught a glimpse of a strange figure in his crowd of watchers and almost paused. It was someone dressed in a long brown cloak with the hood pulled up to hide his face. There was something about the way that he held himself that was familiar to Kestrel, but he was in too much of a hurry to worry about it. He ran with the speed of his namesake and soon overtook David just as he reached the wheel chair ramp and steps to the library. A quick glance over his shoulder showed him that Tony was taking time to boast to the crowd. His wild gestures and the arrogant air that clung to him was as familiar to Kestrel as clock work.It was how Tony always acted after he'd been embarrassed by Kestrel and soon he would come and find him.

He noticed the stranger in the cloak break away from the crowd and head in his direction. A grimace spread across his face as he turned to look at David and saw him turn to look him in the eye. "Think it might be one of Tony's friends?"

David's face screwed up in disgust as he nodded. "Yeah, Leave it to Tony to have people harass you for him."

As they raced up the steps and toward the library door, Kestrel muttered. "I wish I were back in Hyrule."

Kestrel looked around as they entered the familiar library lobby. Off to his right, a series of stairs led up to the upper two floors while another set of stairs led down to the basement. The interior of the library looked like it was done in either the fifties or sixties, except for the modern computers that replace the card catalog. The two of them headed straight for the stairs and Kestrel waved briefly to the girl behind the main desk.If the staff knew he was inside, they would delay Tony for him. It was a sort of unspoken agreement after Tony and his frat boys knocked over a book shelf.

Never the less, David and Kestrel almost ran up the stairs like the entire Frat house that Tony belonged to was on their heels. Something which had happened once and they never wanted to experience it again. Their feet beat out a steady rhythm as they climbed and Kestrel paused when he heard the door in the lobby open below them. He paused and went over to the bannister to see if he could see who had entered. Below him, he was greeted by the top view of the brown cloaked figure and he quickly pushed himself back away from the bannister.

He used a favorite swear of his father's as he turned to hurry up the stairs with David in tow. "Din's Fire!"

David glanced at him as they raced up the stairs. "Brown cloak?"

"Nah," He said in a sarcastic voice. "It's the entire fraternity!Of course it's brown cloak!"

David cocked his head. "Kestrel, I think he's running up the stairs!"

Kestrel listened for a moment to the quick footfalls behind them on the stairs and growled as his steady pace pushed to a run up the steps. "I've never seen one of Tony's goons actually run up any stairs!"

"They fall down them real well."

"That's when they're drunk, Dave."

"When aren't they?"

"Never."

At last the stairs ended at a pair of black double doors and they pushed through them to enter the third floor of the library. Three tables sat about a yard from the door next to the rows of bookshelves. A small square walled in area that housed the elevator and provided a wall to set the card catalog computer against was in the middle of the room. The harsh fluorescent lights shone down of the tables to make the surface seem to glare back. The smell of old books filled the air and greeted them like an old friend. Around the large room that was filled with bookshelves, Tall rectangular windows were evenly space like sentinels in the bright robin's egg blue walls. By each of the widow's was placed a desk that had three sides rise up from the desk top to block out the view of the room.

Kestrel paused to listen to the sound of the foot falls and gave a disgusted sigh as he heard them continue up toward this floor. He shook his head as he turned to head over to the tables. If this were one of Tony's friends, He'd just have to face him and get it over with.

As he laid his back pack on the table and unbuckled his sword belt, Dave glanced at him. "Do you ever just feel like beating Tony up? I know you're capable of doing it."

Kestrel just shrugged as he laid the sword belt on the table. "What the point? If I even bloodied his nose, My adoptive parents would have me in jail so quick..."

He broke off at the sound of one of the black double doors being opened. They both turned to watch the brown cloaked figure enter the room. The hood still hid his face from view, but Kestrel got the impression that he was looking straight at him. The stranger shut the door so that it made almost no sound. They saw that the sleeves of his shirt were white and looked a bit unusual. As the stranger turned back to them, Kestrel crossed his arms and waited for either him to come over and attack him with his fists or tongue.

The stranger seemed to look him over and at last said. "Kestrel?"

Kestrel's eyes narrowed with a frown. "So, Tony made you switch to mockery now, eh?"

"I beg your pardon, but I merely wished to know if you were indeed Kestrel?"

The voice held none of the sarcasm that he had expected, but instead sounded kind and good natured. It made him pause and glance at Dave with a raised eye brow, who was this guy? He looked back at the stranger. "Tony didn't send you, did he?"

"That name is unfamiliar to me."

"I bet Kestrel wishes it was unfamiliar, as well." Dave said.

"Is there a problem with this Tony person?"

"I wouldn't get him started on that question."

Kestrel sighed and leaned back against the table. "He's my adoptive brother and ..."

He froze as he heard the elevator open and heard Tony croon. "Blake..."

His fingernails tried to dig through the long sleeves of his green shirt at the sound of Tony's voice. He turned his head and watched the exit of the short hall that was built into the square walled area which hid the elevator from view. Tony soon strolled into view with a gleeful smile on his face with his hands shoved into his pockets. He looked as pleased as a cat who'd caught a bird napping. "That girl at the desk was easy enough to charm, you know?"

Dave glanced at the stranger. "That's Tony."

Kestrel clenched his teeth together in frustration as he felt as though nothing was working out today. "So you've proved you can get at me even in my refuges, Now why don't you take your ego and go play elsewhere?"

Tony brought his hands up and cracked his knuckles. "First, I want an apology for that little display down there. Or did you forget the rule about making me look good?"

"That would take plastic surgery to make you even appear remotely good."

Tony's face flushed a bit at this. "Remember... I can still tell your parents you were talking about that make believe kingdom of Hyrule. I think they still have a room reserved for you."

"They'll never be my parents!" Kestrel walked around Dave to stand in front of Tony. "My parents are in Hyrule, no matter what you think!"

"That not what the adoption papers say, Bird Boy," Tony moved forward until he stood over Kestrel. "And all you should care about is what you legally are to us."

The stranger moved in to separate them and Tony glared at him. "And who do you think you are!"

The stranger looked at him and raised a hand to his hood, "I know who I am." He pushed the hood back and Kestrel found himself looking at his blond haired father, Link. "I'm Kestrel's real father."


End file.
